Characteristics of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

When studying the work of Shakespeare, the play about the Prince of Denmark is always paid close attention. This is one of the most famous works of the brilliant British, but also one of the most difficult. The characterization of Hamlet is a reflection of his great soul, his complex nature, which faced severe trials. It is the reflections of this character that reveal the depth of human existence, touch upon philosophical questions about the meaning of life. The fate of a young man is a tragedy that can pile on everyone, when his world collapses.

How it all began?

The characterization of Hamlet, given below, will not be understood by the reader if he does not know the content of the work. Therefore, we will digress for a minute and tell you what happened in the gloomy castle of Elsinore. The play begins with the fact that the guards see a ghost that reminded them of the king, Hamlet's father, who suddenly died. A friend of the prince considers this a harbinger of the changes that await Denmark, as the neighboring ruler is going to make war on them. Considering that the ghost will speak to his son, he hastens to inform Hamlet of the vision.

The first characterization of Hamlet was given to us by Shakespeare at the moment when he learns that the Queen Mother of Gertrude, not long after residing in widows, marries her uncle. The prince considers this act of the mother to be wrong, treacherous. Hearing the news of the visions, he decides to spend the night near the site. The king's ghost tells him that Claudius killed him to take the throne, and demands revenge. At the same time, Ophelia, obeying the will of her father and brother, parted with Hamlet. The prince pretends to be crazy, to better understand what is happening.

The play continues

The characterization of Hamlet will be submitted a little later, but for now we will tell what happened to the prince further. In the arranged meeting with Ophelia, the king understands that the prince is not distraught with love, but his thoughts are occupied with something else. And he, hiring an actor's troupe, invites the king and queen to the performance. The actors embodied the scene of the murder of the former king. According to Klavdia's reaction, Hamlet understands that the ghost told him the pure truth, therefore decides to take revenge.

The protagonist of the play tells his mother the truth, but she does not believe in his illness. But he is convinced that he will always support him. During the conversation, the prince kills Father Ophelia, hiding behind a carpet, to overhear. The king sends Hamlet to England, giving the servants a secret order to kill him. But he miraculously escapes and returns to Elsinore. But then another trap awaits him: Ophelia's brother, who is already mad, wants to avenge the death of her father and her sister. In collusion with Claudius, he summons the prince to a duel. Chance for salvation from Hamlet is not: the rapier Laertes sharp, smeared with poison, the poison is mixed in a cup of wine.

Decoupling

A brief description of Hamlet can not convey the complexity of the soul of this character. The sudden death of Ophelia made the prince look at life and death differently, he recites the famous monologue "To Be or Not to Be." At this time, his name is for a duel, saying that you can not refuse: spectators make a bet. During the fight, the queen, celebrating the successful attacks of her son, drinks poisoned wine. Laertes wounded the prince with a poisoned sword, and then Hamlet also wounded him, exchanging a rapier with him. Dying, Gertrude warns his son that drinking with poison. The main character kills the king, then Laertes dies. The last perishes is Hamlet, asking Horatio to tell people about what happened.

Hamlet: Characteristics of the Hero

So, the fate of the Danish prince, masterfully invented and described by Shakespeare, is known to us. What was his inner portrait? Hamlet is a young prince, but educated. To faith in the Creator, he added faith in the human mind, which marked the emergence of a new generation of people, a new round of civilization. Shakespeare, describing medieval Europe, touched upon eternal truths and eternal values. This is the secret of popularity and play, and the central character in the modern world.

What kind of Hamlet is before us? Characteristics of the hero can not fit into a few words. The character at first seems to be a thinker, then he tries to act, and at the end of the work becomes a philosopher. His will was tempered with hard trials: his father's death, betrayal of his beloved and his beloved, lies. He comes to the conclusion that the whole world is plunged into darkness and evil, so he thinks about suicide. But then they stop thinking about whether it is worthy of a Christian, and whether something will change and what will happen after death?

The tragic fate of Ophelia

The characterization of Hamlet (Shakespeare) would not have been complete without the portrait of his beloved hero. A girl of noble blood genuinely loves the prince and believes in his reciprocity. But the father and brother advise her to stop her relationship with Hamlet, since she can not marry him. The girl obeys their will, refusing her happiness. When a father dies, and the prince says that he never loved her, her mind can not cope with grief.

Characterization of Ophelia from Hamlet will allow us to better understand the depth of the tragedy of the central character. Shortly before the tragic denouement, the prince learns of the death of his beloved. Either the girl herself rushed into the river, or it was an accident - the author does not indicate. The young man is greatly saddened by the death of Ophelia, he is tormented by remorse, but he can not change anything.

Conclusion

The characterization of Hamlet (Shakespeare) is over. The hero of the play appears to us as a strong person who managed to overestimate the values, cope with the storm of emotions. Nevertheless, he did not find the answer to his question: "To be or not to be?" Therefore, it remains open, the author suggests that the viewer or the reader independently understand and make his own decision.